Brushing Death
by vampireacademy.96
Summary: Currently being revised and finished. Set 5 years after the TRC. All our favourite VA couples are happy and together, but how long can that last in a world where the undead stalk the night? Drama follows Rose Hathaway like a shadow and when an old foe comes back during a time when she is vulnerable, who will save her? Who will survive? Who will she sacrifice this time?
1. Prologue

**So, let me give you a little background on me. I've read Vampire Academy 4 times overall and some of the books 5 times. I love it. Clearly. It was what got me into fanfiction and there's been a story I've wanted to write for a while and I decided that I just needed to do it. So here is the first chapter, it's kind of the prologue but I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think.**

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Vampire Academy. I could never have written something so awesome. All characters/rights belong to Richelle Mead.

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RPOV

Shopping for a wedding dress is not my idea of a fun morning, but Lissa insisted that it couldn't be "just any dress of the rack" and that it had to be as special as the day was going to be. I argued that white is white and that it's obsolete - I know right, big word - since we both know virtue is a word that describes neither of us. She laughed saying tradition is tradition and since so many couldn't be met, she would meet this one.

I knew exactly what she meant by that of course. Ever since Lissa was little she dreamed of the day her father would walk her down the aisle to her awaiting prince charming, ready to become Mrs. Whoever-it-was. She would have her father-daughter dance and her mom and Andre would make a speech, as well as her new husband's family. That wasn't meant to be though. Her family was dead, Christian was hardly prince charming - well at least in my opinion – and he had no family left either. She wouldn't become Mrs. Ozera rather he would become Mr. Dragomir since it was her duty to carry on the Dragomir line.

So, grudgingly, I sat in the waiting area declining endless offers of champagne – I was on duty after all – nodding and smiling to every tailor-made dress she tried on. I have to admit when she found the perfect one the smile was genuine. It was beautifully simple, like her. It was beautiful silk that touched the floor and accentuated her petite curves. The lace sleeves gave a vintage touch which suited her perfectly. I knew this wasn't the dress she would actually wear. She would have it replicated, made from the material of her mother's dress. If she couldn't be there is person, Lissa would take a piece of her with her down the aisle. It was so stunning I really did begin to get sucked into the ceremony of it all, the wedding I mean, so much so that I almost missed the sound of footsteps coming from behind her.

"Damn" I cursed. I knew we shouldn't have shopped outside the wards without tighter security. I know she wanted this to be a private moment but I really should've put my foot down. As her head guardian, I had every right to over-throw her decision here but I knew how badly she wanted this so I caved. Of course I caved, I wanted this to be special – despite my snide remarks all day – as much as she did.

I leapt into action immediately, my inner monologue aside, pushing Lissa towards where her two other guardians were poised ready to attack. My gesture made it clear they had one job; get Lissa out. They moved instantly, practically carrying her from the dress shop – with her still in the dress – towards the exit. She screamed profanities, obviously. She never could be a gracious victim. As soon as I heard the door close, I felt relief flood into me. She was safe. They would keep her safe. Now I just had to deal with the immediate threat.

I honestly didn't think it was much of a threat, just one strigoi. I could handle that, hell I think I could handle 10 - I'm that good. One was no problem. I blocked and dodged for a few minutes before going on the offence, finding an opening for his heart as he tried to move and punch me in the jaw. I reached him first. My stake made contact with his chest and I twisted it up through his rib cage and sternum. Feeling him go slack against me, I shoved him off with my stake still in his heart.

Covered in blood, both mine and his, I turned to comfort the most-likely stunned human shop owner. Trying to come up with some amazing excuse as to why I'd just pulled out a weapon and killed a man, I was stunned to see her dead on the floor with another strigoi leaning over her. _Bastards,_ I thought _._ I went to my pocket for my stake, only to remember it was still in the other strigoi's body. _Stupid, Rose. Stupid._ I tried to look for a weapon I could grab easier than a stake lodged into a body but failed to find anything. I decided my best option was to fight as long as possible and try and get my stake when I had an opening. Great plan, no. But my plans were never great, they were sub-par at best.

As it turns out, plan (a) was worse than I thought. The second strigoi was stronger and had clearly had much more blood in its lifetime than the one I'd just killed. Another mistake on my part – _always_ take out the bigger threat first. As she came towards me with lightning speed, her red eyes boring into mine, I thought about the best way to fight her off. I was not going to die. One strigoi. I could take on one strigoi, stake or no stake.

I put everything I had into trying to stall her as long as possible – my plan (b). I knew the other guardians wouldn't be coming back until Lissa was safely behind wards but I also knew back-up would be on the way and if I could hold out long enough, I might just survive. I dodged and blocked, knowing that going on the offence was pointless. This fight was about endurance and even though hers was superior to mine if I could just keep fighting, I might make it out of this.

I thought of Dimitri. I thought of Lissa. I thought of Adrian, Sydney, my parents, even Sparky. Everyone I loved would be willing me to survive this. I could not, I would not, let them down. Not again. I'd died too many times and I would not put them through it again.

I fought harder than ever fought before. I was clever and quick but so was she. For every kick I dodged, she had a fist curled ready to strike. She definitely wasn't moroi before she was turned. She was a dhampir. She was a guardian. She knew how to fight, which made it that much harder to stay one step ahead.

I don't know how long I dodged for but I was tiring fast and it became clear back-up wouldn't arrive in time. _Time to go back to plan (a),_ I thought _._ It was then I made my final mistake. I saw my opening. I blocked a punch to my face by grabbing her wrist and pulling her down so I was pinning her, a nearly impossible task since her strength dwarfed mine at the best times and this certainly wasn't that. She struggled beneath me but I used all my strength to keep her pinned as I lifted her head and twisted her neck, hearing it crunch. Hard. It wouldn't kill her but my mother had once told me, my whole class actually, that breaking a strigoi's neck will give you enough time to stake them. I'd never had to test the theory until now – I'd never wanted to, it was too much of a reminder of Mason. But right now, I hoped she was proved right.

Her red eyes rolled back as I went to retrieve my stake. As it turns out, I'd stuck the bugger in there hard and it was not easy to get it out. It was just about free when I felt her hands on my neck. _Not enough time,_ I thought bitterly as everything faded to black.

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 **So, there it is. Please let me know what you think. I already have the next few chapters drafted out and the whole plot in my head but I'd love to know what you think. I know the summary doesn't give too much away but I don't want to spoil anything.**


	2. Chapter 1

**So I absolutely owe everyone an apology. I know it has been a really long time since I last updated but** **when I said I wanted to finish this story I meant it. I have just had a pretty crazy couple of months with work and uni and some personal stuff. I want to say a huge thank you for following this story. It means so much to me.**

 **Disclaimer:** The gorgeous Russian God and all the other characters and rights belong to Richelle Mead.

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 _RPOV_

I couldn't blame Dimitri for being overprotective. I'd made a habit of dying and for the first few months after the dress incident, I think my leaving the house to get milk set him on edge. He was the one who found me. Apparently, I was still alive when he got there – just. He said the strigoi was looming over me, hands around my throat. He saw my neck break, my eyes go blank. I didn't need to imagine how horrible that was for him to witness. I knew. I was just like Mason. Knowing Dimitri, his reaction would've been violent and instant. He was a God after all.

As soon as the guardians had Lissa in the car on the way back to Court they'd called ahead to alert them as to what had happened and to send back-up. Dimitri was on-call and seeing that it was me in danger he responded instantly. Luckily, we hadn't gone to a dress-shop too far. Sure, there were no major cities or towns near-by Court but there were some villages and Lissa knew of a seamstress who, although not well-known, could apparently work wonders and had a fondness for vintage wedding gowns. It was part of the reason I agreed to only three guardians. Villages aren't exactly known for their high strigoi rate. Although, being near Court and with the queen, I should've been more vigilant.

Really, dying was my own fault. I was just lucky that Dimitri got their quickly and was able to call Lissa back before I was 'dead too long'. She said she had to use more spirit than the first time, more than she used to save Dimitri. I guess letting me go a third time was not something the dead were willing to do. I really needed to stop dying.

I scolded her pretty badly for bringing me back, for using so much spirit to save me. She was so, so weak for days afterwards and the guilt tore me up. It's not like she just took the worst of my injuries either, she completely healed me. She didn't just bring me back, she healed every bruise. We were so bad we didn't talk for over two weeks. I was mad she bought me back, she was mad I told her to let me die. It was only because of Christian and Dimitri's scheming that we were able to put it behind us. They basically locked us in her office alone and told us we weren't coming out until we talked it out. Turns out, crying it out was more accurate. It took a while for things to get back to normal but with time they did. And now, we're stronger than ever. Bit of a cliché but it's the truth.

But hey, that was over three years ago and there are worse things than being re-bonded to your best friend who also happens to be your charge. I mean seeing Christian's pasty ass in intimate moments isn't always fun but I'm well versed at blocking Lissa and she's learnt new ways to block me without using so much spirit. We're not really sure how that's possible, but the bond this time around has been different in a lot of ways. I guess when it comes to spirit there really is no straightforward answer.

Plus, taking the darkness lessens Lissa's stresses and I like that. It's the most important thing. Sure things get too much sometimes and I go a bit crazy but I have my gorgeous, brown-eyed, Russian fiancé to bring me back in those moments. He's my lifeline.

Yepp, we still haven't set a date. It's not that I'm not serious about marrying him or that I don't want to but I'm still only 25. I'm also head guardian to the queen so it's not like I have a lot of time to plan – even though I'm sure Lissa would make time to help if we actually set a date. It's just, I can't do it. Don't get me wrong, dying a third time really did make me see what's important and top of that list is absolutely Dimitri. But he's right next to Lissa. I just can't stand at a wedding alter and swear to put him first always when my duty is to Lissa. As much as I wish the choice didn't exist, if I had to protect one of them over the other, like one day I might, I honestly don't know who'd I'd jump for. I just have to hope I never have to make that choice, because _they come first_ is hard to live by when you're in love _._

That mantra is exactly why when Lissa wanted to postpone her wedding after the 'accident'. I absolutely would _not_ let her. Marrying Christian solidified their union and made the crown look more secure. He may be from a disgraced family, but marrying meant securing the line's future. It was part of the reason they did it when they did. I don't think either wanted to marry at 22 but Christian needed to be a Dragomir legally and there was no doubt in either of their minds who they'd be spending the rest of their lives with.

The service was beautiful, with a pink rose theme that radiated elegance, just like Lissa. She looked stunning in her lace dress and she eventually wore me down so I agreed to wear a sweetheart-neckline pale pink number. It was nice but pink is so not my colour. I would've much preferred red. Still, it wasn't my wedding. Jill was the other bridesmaid, pulling of the dress beautifully, although hers was a different shape due to her taller, slimmer frame. I was glad she and Lissa had finally bonded. It took them a while but Lissa finally let go of her anger and accepted that Jill was not to blame for her father's mistake. The two actually had a lot in common and asking Jill to be a bridesmaid was the final stage of acceptance.

I think it helped that Jill has grown up so much since we first met her. She's such an advocate for moroi fighting alongside dhampirs and she's been a huge vehicle for change. Since taking her seat on the council, she has matured so much. She really does bring honour and respect to the Dragomir name. Her relationship with Eddie was a little controversial, but both of them are far too loved up to notice what anyone says about them. He's still Adrian's guardian but he visits as much as he can and vice versa. They're happy and that what counts. They made the cutest couple at the wedding.

Adrian and Sydney were also invited. They were hesitant to attend at first but consented when Sonya offered to make them spirit rings to hide their appearance from everyone but the select few who knew. It was hard, to hide the faces so many people knew but Sonya's a strong spirit wielder and Lissa helped. I think to Sonya, it was kind of thank-you for all the two of them had done as well as a wedding gift of sorts to Lissa and Christian. Keeping Adrian and Sydney disguised, meant no one was distracted from the happy couple.

Declan was left with Daniella. He was only four at the time and even with a disguise they wanted him as far away from moroi court as possible. He's grown up so fast and is apparently a little genius at his human school. Eddie's also been training him so that when he does grow up, he can make his own choice – moroi world or human.

They now have another little one too, named Rosalie. She's so cute with big emerald eyes but gorgeous golden hair that shines like Sydney's. They said she was named after me which Lissa was furious about because apparently she wants name her little girl Rose – when she has one of course. I laughed and told them it was understandable they'd all want to name their children after their awesome, strigoi-fighting Aunt Rose but that they'd just have to share. Adrian's also been back to college part-time and is now a full-time art teacher, whilst Sydney's finished her degree and is now working for an architectural firm. I'm so proud of them both. They've overcome impossible odds to be together and are the definition of made for each other.

Lissa's Equality Act definitely helped them. It helped of all us. She worked her butt of to put it into place and it is yet another factor that will lead her to go down in the history books. Part of what inspired her to come up with it was me, my relationship with her and with Dimitri. Adrian and Sydney definitely pushed her over the edge. She may not have been 100% comfortable with their relationship to start with but once she saw what an impact Sydney had on Adrian, she came around. Thus, the equality act of 2013 was born. It states that no person, be they moroi, dhampir or human be treated unfairly. Everyone must have the same rights. Humans may be allowed to roam court freely once past the gates. It officially illegalised dabbling and each year every feeder would be subject to a review to determine their mental state and whether they should be allowed to continue feeding moroi. The biggest impact it had was on dhampirs. It states that no dhampir be forced into guarding and other positions within society should be available to those who decide against fighting, as well as more opportunities for further education. It calls for better working conditions for current guardians and help to women in dhampir communes. The world blood whore was now considered taboo. Finally, perhaps most importantly, it added basic combat training to the compulsory curriculum for all students at moroi academies, no matter their race.

My father seemed to think Lissa Equality Act would make my mother change her mind about becoming his guardian, fringe benefits included with the job. Eurgh. He'd asked her repeatedly for six years to leave Lord Szelzky and every time she refused, saying it would ruin her reputation. That wasn't the truth. It's why the Equality Act made no difference. She loves him, we all see it. She's just too scared to admit it. She's too scared of being hurt. He'll wear her down though, I'm sure of it.

All in all, the last five years have been pretty significant. It seems my life is constantly changing and moving at speed I can barely keep up with. But, I'm a guardian and if there's one thing I'm good at, it's adapting to change.


	3. Chapter 2

**Since it has been so long since I posted the first chapter I thought I would post two tonight. I am not going to promise an update schedule because my life is so crazy right now but please bear with this story will be finished. I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes I am proof reading myself which can make mistakes harder to spot.**

 **I'm also still working on Dimitri's voice and I'm not 100% happy yet but I'm trying.**

 **Thanks guys :)**

 **Disclaimer:** All rights belong to Richelle Mead.

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 _DPOV_

There are pros and cons to everything in life. Being Lord Christian Dragomir's guardian is no exception. Living at court means I get to be with Rose most of the time, but it also means perimeter checks, gate duty and daily reports. To some guardians, that would sound ideal. Most aren't as lucky as me – to be in love and doing shift work, which is far less tiring than being on duty 24/7 – but that doesn't mean I didn't envy them.

As much as I love being close to Rose, part of me missed being constantly out in the field. I left the wards often – sometimes for months with Christian – but when I wasn't I missed the adrenaline that pumped through my veins when a potential danger arose. I missed ending everyday knowing there were a few less strigoi walking because of me. Most of my longing came from guilt. It had been over seven years since Rose and Lissa saved me and I'd mostly forgiven myself for what I'd done. But, I would be lying if I said I didn't still take pleasure in seeing the eternal life fade from those red-ringed eyes as I pulled my stake back. I always kept it under control, kept the sinister smile from my lips, the victory growl inside my throat, but I couldn't help the sick satisfaction I got from removing that evil from the world. I'd forgiven myself, but I was still searching for redemption.

Rose was my rock. Every time I did leave the wards, she'd remind who I was, what I was fighting for and why. Even if she wasn't there physically every time I took a life, she was always there in my head, guiding me through, keeping the monster at bay. It may be a monster wanting to fight evil, but it was a monster nonetheless. And when I'd return home, she'd be ready with a smile, an embrace and words of comfort. She was more than my rock. She was my lifeline.

I'd almost lost her more times than I dare count – be it her death or my selfishness. I would not, I could not, lose her again. That's why I was determined to find out what was causing her to act so strangely. I'd arrived home around a week ago, after a month-and-a-half long trip to Europe with Christian checking up on the combat training that had been put in place. It was basically the same as being at court but without my Rose for comfort. Needless to say, seeing Roza was first and foremost on my mind and since the same could be said for Christian with Lissa, I pretty much had the weekend we returned off. I'd spoken to her on the phone, but the last week she had seemed distant and I was dying to embrace the love of my life. Basically sprinting of the plane, I looked of my Roza, desperate to run my fingers through her silky hair. Surprisingly, she wasn't there. We always met on the airstrip and it had become a sort-of tradition of ours. I shook it off and told myself not to panic. _She probably just has a shift she couldn't get out of,_ I reasoned. Disappointed, I headed for the apartment.

After taking a detour to the donut shop, picking up a few of her favourite chocolate-glazed, I took a deep breath outside the front door, shaking off my anxiety. _She's your fiancée, for God's sake. Man up!_ Setting the donuts on the kitchen counter, I walked through our lavish living room and into the bedroom. Then I heard her...retching.

I flung open the bathroom door, more violently than necessary, to see my beautiful Rose crouched over the toilet emptying what seemed to be the entirety of her stomach. She looked so worn out that I don't even think she noticed me kneel beside her and rub her back, holding her hair and whispering words of comfort in my native tongue. Whenever I feel distressed I can never quite get my words out in English. "You're okay, I'm here now. I won't anything happen to you." I whispered, feeling entirely inadequate as she continued to throw up stomach bile.

Once she'd stopped puking long enough for me to feel comfortable leaving her for a few minutes, I retrieved a glass of water from the kitchen. Making my way back into the bathroom, I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Rose sitting on the edge of the bed, tying up her combat boots. When she saw me at the door way she simply walked over, took the glass from my hand and kissed my cheek. "I'll see you later. I've got to sort the rota for next week. Hans said it could wait and Lissa insisted but I'd rather just get it done. I won't be long. Love you." And with that, she was out the door.

I spent the next two hours pacing the apartment, trying to stop myself from marching down to headquarters and demanding answers. First, she doesn't greet me at the runway, then she's throwing up and then she acts like nothing happened and it hasn't been over a month since we last saw each other. Something was off. I was going to get to the bottom of it.

As it turns out, I didn't. When she came home that evening, she was perfectly normal. She apologised for not meeting me, saying she thought she ate something funny she'd made and was proven right so couldn't come down. She then said she was too embarrassed her own cooking had made her ill to stop and chat this morning, hence she left abruptly. I was still a little suspicious but had no reason not to believe her so, after throwing out her leftovers, I made her some proper food. She ate very little of it, insisting she was just tired and went straight to bed. As much as I was desperate to feel her skin underneath mine, I could tell she wasn't feeling the same and I wasn't about to push it – I like to think I'm not a sex-crazed animal.

The next few days played out the same, she'd wake up abruptly, sprinting for the bathroom. I'd hold her hair back, rubbing her back whilst she emptied her stomach. Then, she'd insist she was fine and act as though nothing had happened. I was both worried and infuriated. _Why can't she just tell me what is going on with her?_ She's so damn stubborn.

It was now Friday and I'd had enough. It wasn't just the vomiting. It was her whole demeanour. It had completely changed. She wasn't training as hard; she spent more time in her office and less time working perimeter checks or with Lissa. When she'd come home from work, she'd eat little dinner but gorge on ice cream. Then she'd go straight to bed. Even her attitude to me had changed. She still kissed me and told me that she loved me but she wouldn't let it go any further than that. On Tuesday, she actually screamed at me when she was in the shower because I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. That wasn't her. This wasn't us.

I was startled out of my wallowing when I heard the front door open. As always, I was greeted with a smile and a peck on the lips. I wrapped my arms around her and took a deep breath. It was now or never and I couldn't let this go on any longer. "Roza," I started hesitantly, pulling her chin up so I could see into her deep, soulful eyes "are you ready to tell me what is going on with you?"

"I'm sorry" she whispered, as she buried her face deep into my chest and began to sob uncontrollably. Almost as a reflex, I scooped her up and carried her to our couch where I sat her on my lap and cradled her until her breathing slowed. As I always did, I whispered to her in Russian, telling her how much I loved her and begging her not to leave me.

"I'm not going to leave you. I would never do that. I love you." She suddenly said, cupping my face in her hands and kissing me with so much passion, I felt guilty for even letting the doubt cross my mind. I could feel her tears on my cheek and it took all my power to cry myself. I'm such an idiot. We can do anything together. We've proved that enough times. She pulled away too soon, leaving our foreheads touching and her dark hair wrapping around our heads, creating an intimacy I hadn't felt in months.

"I always forget how much Russian you actually know." I said, still holding her close but not forgetting what had transpired between us the last few weeks. "But, it doesn't change my question. Please Roza, I just want to help. I can't do that if you don't let me. Trust me. And don't lie to me, I can tell."

She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," she said almost inaudibly. It was so quite I thought I'd heard her wrong.

"I'm sorry did you just say…you're pregnant?" I asked, sounding more shocked than I intended. She nodded slowly, and then looked away as if ashamed. To be honest I actually felt quite stupid I hadn't worked it out. The morning sickness, the tiredness, the change in her mood; it all made sense. There was just one thing that didn't make sense. "Is this why you've been so distant? How long have you known?"

"About a month. Please believe that I wanted to tell you but…I was scared. I am scared. Dimitri, I'm only 25. We're not even married yet! I'm head guardian to the queen. I knew this was a possibility but to be honest, we'd done it so many times without protection and hadn't got pregnant, I thought it wouldn't happen for us. I mean it's been so long since Lissa saved you, we don't even know how much spirit is left in you, or if there's any at all. It seemed so unlikely. Plus, I've been taking the pill every day. I mean I've skipped a few but honestly, I didn't think it would make much of a difference. I mean I looked it up and they say it can take months after coming off it to get pregnant. And that's in a normal situation. I'm so sorry. I just couldn't tell you because I didn't want to upset you or…" she was rambling at this point and she knew it. It's so unlike her to be this unsure. She's always so confident. So, I did the only thing I could at that moment. I pulled her to me and kissed her with all the passion I could muster. I'm not even sure it was enough. But still, I felt her respond to me as she granted me the access to her mouth I'd been so desperately craving. A soft moan escaped her lips, causing a low growl from me. I decided I needed her, to be with her in the way I'd been denied for too long. So, I took her to bed and showed her just how much I loved her.

We lay naked after that, just enjoying the closeness we'd both missed for so long. Sometimes, that was better than sex. Just lying close to the person you love most in the world can be enough to reassure you, you are not alone. "So, you're not upset?" Her question threw me off slightly, interrupting our perfect little silence.

"Of course not Roza, why would I be upset? I love you and I already love our baby."

"You don't think it's too soon. I mean I know Adrian and Sydney already have two and Lissa and Christian are trying but do you not think we should've waited? I mean we're guardians. We always have to put duty first and a baby will definitely complicate that." Since when did she become the voice of reason?

"Roza, I have loved you for eight years. There is no one else I would want to have my child. But, if this isn't what you want, I won't force you. I can't ask you to give up being a guardian, nor would I but I also understand if you don't want to bring a child into that environment." I said it because I meant it, but I felt my heart break slightly more with each word. Part of me hoped she didn't get my double meaning but being who she is, that was inevitable.

She pulled away from me abruptly, looking directly into my eyes. "I don't want to give this baby up. I didn't tell you because I was scared of how'd you'd react and how we'd cope, not because I didn't want or love this baby." She pulled my hand to her mouth, kissed the palm gently and then placed it on her abdomen.

I felt so much joy in that moment I couldn't help the tears that leaked from my eyes and the smile that crept to my lips. "Roza…thank you so much. You've given me everything I've ever wanted and more than I ever dreamed I could have. I love you so much."

"I love you too comrade. But there is one thing I'm worried about."

"What? How we'll plan a wedding before the baby's born? Don't worry, I'm sure Lissa can figure it out." I was joking but I had been trying to get her to set a date for five years and I was kind of hoping this pregnancy may work in my favour.

She looked horrified, so I knew I wasn't getting anywhere. "Comrade, you know I love you and there's no one else I'd rather be with but I still can't. Not yet. I'm sorry." She looked away from me like she always did when I broached the subject. I decided to just drop it. She'd tell me the reason she wouldn't commit eventually. I just had to be patient.

"So what are you actually worried about?"

"Well, what will people say when they find out? I mean everyone is going to assume I hooked up with some random moroi. But, if we correct them our child will turn into a science experiment. I don't want either of those scenarios to happen." I could hear the worry in her voice and I knew she was looking for a solution from me. But honestly, I didn't have a good one. All I knew was that no one was going to hurt my family. Unfortunately, there was only one realistic solution to ensure that wouldn't happen.

"Rose," I sighed "I know you are trying to protect me but we both know who has to come first here and it's not us." I can't say I was happy with the situation, but the love of my life was having my child. Against all odds, I was going to be a father. That was what counted most. "We dealt with the gossip when we first got together. You dealt with it all through high school. I dealt with it after Russia. We can deal with it now. We know the truth and the people we love will too. That's what matters most. I can't handle the thought of someone monitoring you or our child like some kind of science experiment."

"I love you" was all she said before she crushed her lips to mine and returned the passion I'd shown her earlier in the evening in equal measure.

* * *

I slept soundly for the first time in months that night, having my Roza cuddled into me exactly where she should be.

I was awoken far too early by Rose's phone ringing. I knew it was hers from the ridiculous ringtone I've asked her to change a thousand times. It's ' _I'm a Barbie girl'_ which she insisted was just a joke, but I knew better – she loves it. I heard her pick it up and creep out of bed, obviously not wanting to disturb me. _Too late,_ I thought as stood up and threw on my boxers.

I crept out the bedroom so as not to alert her to my presence. She was standing in my t-shirt, which came down to her knees, talking in hushed tones to whoever was at the other end of the phone. I came up behind her as she hung up, putting my arms around my waist, my head on her shoulder, kissing her neck gently. She leaned into me, then turned and said "that was your mom."

"Oh?" I said, not really sure what else to say. She was normally more courteous when it came to calling, waiting until waking hours. It was then something occurred to me – the time difference. It was three in the afternoon here or three in the morning since we live on a nocturnal schedule, which made it one in the morning in Baia. Why would my mother call so late? And why call Rose first? They were close sure, but if there was some emergency, which there must've been for her to call at this time, shouldn't she call me first?

Rose must've have seen me frowning in thought. "Everyone's fine, we're just going to have a surprise visitor is all." I simply raised an eyebrow. It infuriated her since she still couldn't do it. "Yeva, she left a note saying she's coming to visit and that Olena needed to call us to let us know when to pick her up from the airport. Why she couldn't call us herself is beyond me."

"And my mother isn't worried about this?" The fact she called so late would suggest she was.

"Well she was when she woke up and found Yeva missing but after she read the note she said she calmed down. Apparently Viktoria has some overdue holiday so is going to meet her in Omsk and they'll travel the rest of the way together. Yeva said she was planning the trip for a while but thought if she said anything Olena would refuse to let her go. So she just booked the train tickets and flights and left a note. God knows how she's going to get to Omsk in the first place but she's resourceful your grandmother, even if she is an old bat." She laughed and I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips. It would be nice having her here with Viktoria. It had been so long since we'd seen Yeva and even longer since seeing Viktoria. Since she graduated and became a guardian she's been incredibly dedicated and she's hardly taken any time off. Funny, she reminds me of me.

"So, when do they arrive?" I asked excited. It really would be good to see them.

"Not until tomorrow evening, after sunrise. Your mom actually did apologise for calling so late when she told me what time the flight was landing. She just said she wouldn't be able to sleep until she knew Viktoria and Yeva were going to be safely picked up." Tomorrow evening, that was good. We had plenty of time to get the apartment ready. Sure we were working, but I kept the house pretty tidy anyway so it wouldn't take too much cleaning.

I just had one more thing I needed to know. "But why did she call you first?"

Rose laughed, "Because she knew you would freak out and jump to conclusions before she got the message out. Come on, I've got an early shift and I want to get a few more hours of sleep in." She took my hand and pulled me back to bed.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading guys.**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Here's another chapter for you. I'm sorry its taken me like two months to update life has continued to throw curve balls at me. But, from now on I am going to try and update every week or at least every other week. I'm actually a few chapters ahead (give or take a few editing hours) so that should be quite easy to stick to...I hope. As always apologies for any grammar mistakes, my brain stops seeing them after the fifth or sixth read. :/

Also, please do review it would me the absolute word to me. Thanks guys!

 **DISCLAIMER:** All rights and characters belong to the wonderful Richelle Mead.

* * *

 _DPOV_

I was running about the apartment cleaning up after Rose. _That woman will be the death of me._ Typical, the day before relatives come to visit she goes on a rampage to find a pair of shoes, leaving a trail of chaos behind her. Honestly, the one day she doesn't want to wear combat boots.

I heard the key turn in the door as I finished putting the last of her things away. "You nearly ready?" she said as she came in and immediately ruined the work I'd just done by tossing her coat on the counter and kicking her shoes off.

"I was, until you just walked in and ruined my hard work. There's a coat hook for a reason you know. And that thing there," I said pointing to the shoe tray "is for those things you just threw off."

She walked over to me laughing. Putting her arms around my neck, she leant up and kissed me passionately. It was a welcome gesture after the time we'd spent apart. "Calm down Comrade. Viktoria's even messier than I am and I'm sure Yeva won't have a meltdown over one pair of shoes. Besides, I'll put them away in like five minutes when we leave. They're not very comfortable anyway; I think I should just stick to my boots." She mused, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. Unbelievable - all that mess, just to decide she prefers the shoes she _always_ wears. Wait, did she just say…

" _We_? Who said anything about we? You are not leaving the wards. Not in your condition." I said sternly.

She looked indignant, taking a step away from me. "Excuse me? I'm pregnant, not dying Dimitri. And in case you've forgotten, I still haven't told anyone about said pregnancy so if I don't go it will look a little suspicious."

"I'll just tell Vika and Yeva you're working. No one at Court needs to know you're not allowed to leave the wards." As soon as I said it, I regretted it. I wasn't her keeper, nor did I want to be but I did want to keep her and our baby safe.

"Not allowed! Dimitri, I am your fiancé not your slave. I'll do what I want and what I want to do is go and pick up my in-laws from the airport." She shouted at me loud enough that I'm sure Lissa and Christian could here from their apartment next door.

"Okay," I sighed "okay. I'm sorry. It's just that, you haven't even been to see the doctor yet so you don't even know how far along you are for definite. You don't know how much exercise you can do safely and if something happens on the way I don't want you or the baby in danger." I felt pathetic but I didn't want her at risk.

"Let me stop you there Comrade. I told you I didn't think it was possible and I wanted to be sure, so on one of my days off I left court to visit a human doctor. I'm about two and a half months along. I'm due another scan at three months and I'm fine to do my usual exercise for as long as I feel comfortable. I'm fine to fight. I was only taking it easy on training the last few weeks because I was feeling so nauseous but right now I feel okay. So let's go." It was clear I wasn't winning this one so reluctantly I let her come with me.

Getting to the airport was actually pretty uneventful. It was about forty minutes outside of Court. I would have preferred them to fly direct into Court but I didn't want to burden Lissa with organising connecting flights if it wasn't completely necessary. Plus, the sun was rising for most of the journey so we were pretty safe from any strigoi. That didn't mean I wasn't being vigilant. I had a family to protect. Rose definitely noticed my behaviour and called me out a few times. She thought it was hilarious. It made for a pleasant, playful journey.

We arrived at the airport early, just as the sun was full above the horizon, so decided to get some dinner while we waited. Neither of us had time to eat after work before coming here so we were both starving. To be honest, I was just glad Rose wanted to eat after she'd been so nauseous the past week. Of course being at a human airport meant we were limited to what we could find, but there was a breakfast place open that served Rose's favourite – pancakes and bacon. It wasn't exactly a date, but it was the closest we'd had to one in a while.

Looking at her devour her pancakes and bacon, her gorgeous brown hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes sparkling with joy, I couldn't help but feel completely content. I had everything I could ever wish for and more. I had more than most guardians would ever dream of having. It was as if she could feel me staring because she looked up and gave me a loving smile, her dark eyes boring into mine telling me she knew exactly what I was thinking. I gave her a smile I reserved only for her, thinking how lucky I was to have my Roza.

* * *

We were standing at the arrivals gate waiting when we heard a loud beeping coming from the entry way. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rose tense beside me as I scanned the area looking for the source of the noise. Turns out, it was coming from a luggage cart carrying two big suitcases and surprisingly my grandmother and baby sister. I laughed internally at the thought of anyone thinking of babushka as frail and in need of assistance. _If only they knew,_ I thought smiling.

"Manipulative old bat" I heard Rose mutter next to me.

"Roza…" I warned. I did not need her starting an argument before we were even out the airport.

"What? She so does not need that much help."

I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to me. "No, but at least we'll be out of here quicker." I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, which she immediately deepened. I used hate this sort of public display, but I was so unbelievably happy with all that had happened I wouldn't dream of pushing her away.

"Eurgh. Honestly, can't you two get a room?" I heard my sister call in Russian from behind me. I laughed about to respond when the words were taken from my mouth.

"Sure we could, though we might get distracted and you guys would have to wait. But if you don't mind, I think I saw a cleaning closet near the exit." Rose smiled and feigned pulling me away. I blushed, feeling more than a little embarrassed.

"Shit, I always forget you learnt Russian." Viktoria blushed, a rare show of innocence from her. Seeing her was always so bittersweet. It was so great to spend time with her, but her innocence was diminishing more each time. Her hair was shorter than the last time I'd seen her, falling just to her shoulder with layers cut in, making her older, fiercer. I knew she'd never cut is as short as some guardians. Like me and Rose, she liked being able to cover her marks when she wanted to feel more normal. More female guardians were growing their hair nowadays anyway, so she didn't look so out of place. She'd lost the last of her baby fat so her face looked sharper and harder, her features more masculine. She was still beautiful. She just looked different. She looked more like me.

We exchanged pleasantries – hugs, kisses, the usual – before I grabbed their bags and we made our way out to the car. The man who had given Yeva and Viktoria a lift had offered to help us to our car but I assured him we could handle it, thanking him nonetheless. Yeva remained quiet through the whole exchange, observing and occasionally shooting me a knowing look. I should've known she would work out Rose was pregnant. She probably figured it out before even Rose did. Although, the look she was giving me wasn't exactly a happy one. It was almost disapproving. Maybe it was because of Rose's age or our positions at Court but she always seemed so keen for us to start a family. I'd have to talk to her about that later.

The car journey back played out the same. Rose and Viktoria sat in the back talking about anything and everything. I stopped listening after the first ten minutes when they started talking about all the men Viktoria had been seeing. She may be an adult now, but I did not want to hear all the ins and outs of her sex life. Rose shot me a few knowing looks and I could tell she was enjoying watching me cringe.

I decided to try my luck talking to babushka. Thinking she'd be more likely to respond in Russian I opened with the genius question, "Good journey?" Silence. _Okay, let's try another approach,_ I thought. "How's mama? I haven't spoken to her properly in a while. She was quite worried you didn't tell her you'd planned this. I think she would've liked to come."

She just huffed in response and looked away, staring at something or maybe nothing out the window. I decided something was clearly wrong but didn't have the energy to find out what it was now. It was late after all. Viktoria was still nattering away in the back, but Rose seemed to notice Yeva's behaviour and shot me an 'are you okay look?' in the mirror. I smiled and gave a gentle nod before focusing back on the road ahead of me.

* * *

 _RPOV_

The good thing about living on a nocturnal schedule whilst at Court was less jet lag for the Russians. When we got back to the apartment everyone was ready for a good night's sleep before doing anything fun. Hans was kind enough to give us the next few days off of shift work and since neither Lissa nor Christian were leaving Court for a few weeks Dimitri and I were free to spend some time with his family.

Yeva had been acting funny with me since she arrived, but I didn't think too much of it at first since we weren't exactly the best of friends. It was only in the car ride home when I noticed her acting weird towards Dimitri that I decided something was up. He was her pride and joy, so if she was off with him something must be seriously wrong. I figured she knew I was pregnant, but I thought she'd be delighted her grandson was having a baby.

"So, Yeva's acting weird. I mean, weirder than usual." I mentioned as I got under the covers and snuggled into my Russian God's bare chest.

Rubbing soothing circles on back, one arm behind his head and staring straight at the ceiling, Dimitri sighed loudly. "She is. But that could just be because the journey was long."

I looked up at him knowingly. "Don't give me that crap. We both know she knows and we both know she clearly has an issue with it. Question is should I ask her or you?"

"Why do you always have to be so observant?" he muttered.

"Because I'm a guardian. Simple." I said bluntly. "Look, I think I should I talk to her. I know we don't always see eye-to-eye but she's family and it means a lot to me to have her approval. I want to know if the issue is me, us or this baby. And I know you won't tell me the truth."

He was silent for a few seconds before he nodded gently. "Okay. You can try first, but I can't promise I won't say something after."

"Deal." I leant up and placed a soft kiss on his lips before falling into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

I woke after only a few hours. For once, it wasn't my usual nausea that woke me. Sure, I felt a little queasy but I didn't feel the need to dash to the bathroom so that was a good sign. Maybe this morning I would actually keep down some breakfast. I got up and pulled on one of Dimitri's t-shirts and some pyjama shorts. It was habit I'd started when he was away because I missed him but I just sort of started doing every morning since then. The woodsy aftershave always bought me comfort. No matter how much he washed them, I don't think the smell could ever completely fade.

I could smell something coming buttery and sweet as I walked through the apartment to the kitchen. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, it was Yeva – working away at the stove like her life depended on it. It was weird to see her lifting a finger. To be honest I didn't even think she could cook. At home, she spent most of her time in her chair passing judgement on everyone else.

I sat at the kitchen table deciding now was a good a time as any to talk to her. Taking a deep breath, I worked up the courage to start the conversation. She beat me to it. "Blini?"

I was so caught off guard I stuttered over my response, "Yes please." I didn't even realise she heard me come in. She placed the plate in front of me, along with a glass of orange juice. Maybe Olena did inherit her hospitality from Yeva after all.

She came to sit opposite me whilst I started on my blini. "Listen Rose. I don't want to but there is something we need to talk about. And it will hurt you." I was so taken aback by her bluntness – and that she was speaking English – I couldn't form a coherent response. She took my silence as a probe to continue. "You cannot have this child."

Now I had a response. "Excuse me?" I choked out, mouth full of blini. I didn't have time to say anything else, to think anything else, before she interrupted me.

"Believe I don't take any joy in saying this but you need to let me explain before you jump down my throat."

"Then explain" I demanded, pushing the plate away. I suddenly felt way more nauseous.

"You are shadow kissed, not once but twice. Dimka was one of the undead. You have no idea how powerful that makes your child, how much danger it puts all three of you in. She cannot be bought into this world. It will put you in danger, Dimitri in danger and your charges. You have a duty and to fulfil it, you cannot have a child with Dimitri. I know why you haven't married him yet. You're dedicated. So is he, but not the same extent. You feel everything she feels." She put her hand up to stop my automatic response. "You can block her – I know that – but you always feel her don't you? It's not like before. It's ever present, even when she thinks she's put walls up. Her thoughts are constantly invading your own. And it's not her everyday thoughts is it? It's her dark thoughts. You used to have to delve for them, pull them from her mind but now it's different. They seek you out. You know how scared she is, how scared she is to lose you or Lord Dragomir. And that scares you, doesn't it? You know your duty; better than anyone. If you want to keep those you love safe you must kill your baby."

Her words hurt like hell, like lava being poured on my skin. It was ironic that I should feel the kind of pain I inflict – the acidic like burn that strigoi feel with a stake's touch. My mind was racing with so many thoughts I couldn't seem to grasp one long enough to think it through. How did she know all this? About how my bond with Lissa had changed. Hell, even Dimitri and Christian didn't know -especially the blocking. When I said Lissa had learnt new ways to block me, I meant it. She was able to block out her day from me, where she was or what she was doing without using too much Spirit; but Yeva was right. She never could hide her dark thoughts. They were always there. I assumed it was because I didn't absorb as much darkness as I used to – still some but all. Though, maybe Yeva had a point when she said it was the bond. Maybe my mind was reaching for the darkness subconsciously, pulling more than I could handle without me even knowing. It did it before, back in high school, but that was before I had control, right?

As if on queue, I felt Lissa's dark thoughts begin to invade my mind. Just like Yeva said. They crept into my brain like a virus, pulsing through my body in a different way to spirit darkness. I realised I was wrong, these thoughts weren't irrational, driven by madness or instability; they were normal fears escalated by her darkness. I wasn't just pulling at it anymore; it was seeking me out. Taking Lissa's fears and multiplying them tenfold. It was giving me no escape. Her fears were being pushed out and finding refuge with me. I tried to ignore them. To pretend they weren't there. I realised Yeva was right. The bond had changed in more ways that we thought.

What Yeva was asking of me hit me like a ton of bricks. And my own anger combined with the darkness were pushing me to the edge. I tried to push the darkness back, to separate my own anxiety from it and think rationally. But that was hard to do given what Yeva was implying. I thought of Dimitri; his deep brown eyes that always swallowed me whole, his accent that reminded me of honey dripping off a spoon, his woodsy aftershave and his smile. The smile only I got to see. I felt myself calming down. The darkness wasn't gone, but it was at bay for now. I started working through my thoughts.

I couldn't get rid of this baby, I loved her. I didn't even know her yet and I already knew I would do anything to protect her. But Dimitri, could I put him in danger? And Lissa, if anything happened to her I'd never forgive myself? The darkness, the bond – we needed to figure out what was happening. The new information seemed dangerous enough. Would my baby really put her in even more danger? And what about everyone else: Adrian, Sparky, my mom, my dad, Eddie, Jill. I couldn't let any of them get hurt. But could I live with myself if I put them before my daughter?

 _Wait, daughter._

"I'm having a baby girl." I muttered. It was a statement not a question. Yeva had been right about everything else so far. It's why what she was saying was scaring me so much.

"No." I looked up sharply, death in my eyes, meeting her gaze with an intensity that left nothing to question. She was my baby and I would protect her.

"Yeva…" I started.

"No." She repeated more harshly. She may have been whispering but I knew had Dimitri and Viktoria not been asleep she would've been shouting. "Roza, I know how much you love this child. I love her too but the fate of the moroi world depends on the decision you make now." She believed her words. I could tell. Just one problem, did I? She had been right about everything so far but I never really bought into the whole psychic witch thing she was selling. But Dimitri did. He had so much faith in her. But would he believe her with this?

Could I honestly give up my baby just because Yeva said she was dangerous? Could I take away what maybe our only chance to have a family?

"Yeva, I can't do this to Dimitri." I decided playing the Dimitri card was my best bet. I couldn't give up my baby and I couldn't let her talk to Dimitri about this either. Whether he would believe her or not, he would be angry. I didn't want to cause him pain.

"Rose, I know he would forgive you. You are his world. I know he's already asked you whether this is what you want." I knew where she was going with this and I didn't like it.

"He did, but I told him the truth. THIS, US, this baby, is what I want." I meant it but my voice was shaky with nerves.

"I can't force you to do this but know this. You are sentencing us, all of us, to a grave future if you have this baby." She walked over touched my belly. "I love you but you are the devil child." She whispered in Russian before looking into my eyes as though she were talking directing to my soul. "I love you too Rose. I know I do not always show it, but I do. I would not ask this of you otherwise."

She retired to her room after that, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I so badly wanted to say I didn't believe her. I was such a sceptic when it came to her visions that it would be an easy way to pretend the conversation never happened. So why couldn't I shake the feeling she might be right? If there was the slightest chance it could hurt the people I loved, could I really have this baby?

* * *

 **Thanks for reading guys :)**


	5. Chapter 4

**_A/N:_** Let's be real. I may be the worst for updates EVER! I am so sorry. It kind of feels like my life is in hyper-speed at the moment and as soon as I find a moment to write or edit something crops up. I am quitting my weekend job though (for other reasons) so I'm hoping I'll have more time.

I'm sorry this is such a short chapter but I don't really have a word count for chapters I just kind of let them come to an end on their own. BUT, I am going to try and get Chapter 5 up today as well. I'm am literally about to edit it after this! I really hope you enjoy this little chapter (it's a bit fluffy) and I apologise for any grammar/spelling mistakes. I will say this as a little aside, if you hadn't worked out from the way I spell apologise I am British but I am trying to keep the story in American English like the books (because I'm a massive nerd) so if some spellings are wrong or inconsistent I'm very sorry!

Okay enough of a ramble. If anyone read all that I'll be genuinely shocked. **Please enjoy! :D**

 **Disclaimer:** As always, none of the characters belong to me. Anyway, all rights go to Richelle Mead (who is just awesome).

* * *

 _RPOV_

 _Devil child._

As I crept back into bed next to Dimitri, the words were like a mental poison in my mind worse than any pain I had ever felt. I stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours, begging my body to give into sleep. Begging my mind to forget this nightmare but I couldn't. I was numb on the outside. Not even Dimitri's strong arms enclosing around me whilst he slept could distract me from the hell inside my mind. It dawned on me I had a decision to make; to believe in Yeva or to believe in my baby.

Apparently my inner turmoil was enough for Lissa to draw me into her head. I might have learnt I'm incapable of blocking the darkness but I could still block her. At the very least I could stop my mind merging with hers. I was pretty good at it most of the time. But right now, I was too shell-shocked to resist her. I was too sad, too angry, too confused. I needed a release and since sleep wasn't happening, Lissa was the next best thing. I let her take me away from my own mind and into hers.

So I may not have noticed how the new bond was affecting the darkness but I did notice it was affecting my interactions when in Lissa's head. This was a side effect I hadn't even told Lissa about. It was something I was surprised Yeva hadn't mentioned. Now, when pulled into Lissa's head I didn't just see, feel and hear her world, I could manipulate it. I could manipulate her. I didn't do it on purpose, at least not a first. It felt invasive and wrong. Hell, it _was_ invasive and wrong. But I could do it. She couldn't tell. It wasn't like I could control her physically and make her dance like idiot in front of all the council members. But mentally, I could push her to think of certain memories, make her feel certain emotions. I didn't take pleasure in it. The one thing sacred to every person is their own mind and to be in her head was one thing, but to control her memories, her emotions, that was something that normally made my skin crawl. Right now though, at this moment, I needed to do it. It was wrong. I knew that but I had to do it. I had to escape the way I was feeling and I had to feel some happiness. And if mind wouldn't give it to me, I would take it from Lissa's.

Lissa was in her kitchen making some breakfast for herself and Christian. It wasn't very often they used the 24-hour room service; they liked to cook themselves and normally the chore fell to Christian since he had more free time and was definitely the better cook. But today, Lissa was up early so the responsibility fell on her. I could tell what was on her mind; the night before. Lissa had an especially busy week so last night was their first date night since Christian and Dimitri had gotten back from Europe. It was very romantic, particularly desert.

Trouble was I really didn't want to focus on her relationship after my conversation with Yeva. To be honest, I didn't want to focus on her relationship ever. So, I made her think of something else. I made her think of us, just over 10 years ago. We were sitting in my dorm room at St Vlads, listening to some naughties playlist chatting about how Aaron had done something stupid.

" _I know, but why would he even say that?" Lissa said. She looked completely pissed off but I could tell she didn't really care. Lissa never really liked Aaron that way, but he opened a lot of doors for her socially, was pretty cute and easy enough to get on with – except when he did something stupid. And that happened more often than you'd think._

" _Because he's Aaron. He opens his mouth before his brain has a chance to think things through. You know that." I responded, a bit dumbfounded as to why we were even having this conversation._

" _I know. I know. And it's not like I really care. If he would rather date her that's totally fine, but he could at least have the decency to tell me first. It makes me look like an idiot!" Lissa sounded really pissed off now and I couldn't help but feel she was overreacting slightly. Although at least I now knew why she was pissed. It wasn't what Aaron had said, it was that everyone laughed and she was embarrassed._

" _Wow okay, no need to jump to conclusions. He just said she was cute. But he's also said I'm hot before which is probably worse. You're overreacting." I tried reasoning with her but I didn't think it worked._

" _That's different you're my best friend. No one would ever take that seriously. But her, she's probably thinking of all the ways she can worm herself in." Her voice was getting progressively louder and I could see her fighting hard to calm down. After a lot of deep breaths and a few minutes of awkward silence she seemed to manage it. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. He's having a party in his room tonight and we're hardly going to miss it." She replied with a mischievous grin._

" _What have you done?"_

" _Nothing, but I may have invited someone you can have fun with too."_

That someone was Jesse Zeklos, a person I'd be happy never to see again and gladly haven't seen in nearly a decade. Still the memory in general had made Lissa smile, though she had no idea why she'd thought of it, and she totally forget about the night before which I was completely okay with. Her light mood spread to me and I was slightly smug that my plan to distract myself using Lissa had worked. Even if I did feel incredibly guilty for manipulating her.

Being in Lissa's mind was still weird. It was like watching a really addictive box set. I knew who I was and where I was but I was completely sucked into her head. My own thoughts didn't matter, only hers – even when I was controlling them. Her mind was a much needed escape right now.

She was startled by Christian coming up behind her and sliding his arm around her waist, kissing her neck softly. She spun around to face him, leaning against the kitchen counter in what she hoped was seductive way. "I made breakfast."

Christian breathed in deeply through his nose before responding. "Smells great, although I can think of something better." He nuzzled his head into Lissa's neck and breathed deeply once again. Lissa giggled and sighed.

"Hey, have you noticed something strange going on between Rose and Dimitri recently?" Well, that was quite a change in topic. Apparently Christian thought so too because he pulled his head up and removed his arms from his wife's waist.

"Way to kill a mood" he snorted.

"Sorry," Lissa sighed again "it's just Rose has been acting weird for a few weeks now. At first I thought it was because she missed Dimitri but he came back and nothing's changed. If anything she's gotten worse. I'm worried they've had an argument. I know his family coming have meant we haven't seem much of them in the last couple of days whilst they've been getting things ready between shifts but I don't know, I'm sure something's up. I want to help if I can."

Christian gestured for Lissa to come into his embrace and held her tightly whilst she nuzzled her head into his shoulder. He stroked her hair then lifted her chin so she was looking straight into his icy blue eyes. "Listen, I love that you care so much and I know Rose does too but you can't solve all the world's problems. If they're having issues, it's their business and you need to trust that Rose will come to you when and if she needs to. Besides, those two are solid. The only thing they ever argue about is where Rose left her shoes. You're probably worrying for nothing." For once Sparky was right, kind of, and for once he actually gave good advice.

I decided to bow out just then because Lissa's thoughts were getting a bit intimate for my liking and since I deprived her of her own thoughts earlier I figured she deserved some naked Christian – even if I couldn't think of anything worse.

* * *

I 'woke' up to see Dimitri pulling a tight t-shirt over his head. Next to my bed was a steaming chai-tea and chocolate donut from my favourite café. I loved him so much. He always knew just how to cheer me up, even when he didn't know I needed it. It brought tears to my eyes but I held them back as best I could. "Thanks" I said as I wolfed down the donut in approximately 5.3 seconds.

Dimitri came over, kissed my stomach and then my forehead lingering over me resting his hands on the bed on either side of my body. "You're welcome, my beautiful Roza" he whispered into my ear, "It's nice to see you eat some breakfast. Did you have a nice time with Lissa?" _Of course he knew I was with Lissa,_ I thought to myself. There was no point in hiding it so I just gave a single nod. He straightened up and went to the cupboard to grab his jeans, my favourite black pair that clung to him in all the right the places. "Good. I'm going to take Vik and Yeva out for breakfast. I figured you wouldn't feel up to coming and wasn't sure when you'd be… erm back so I was just going to leave a note but if you want to come you're more than welcome."

As much as I wanted to get out the house, playing happy families with Yeva was not so appealing right now. I had a lot to think about and ignoring the problem was definitely not going to solve it. So, I lied. "No, it's okay. You guys go catch up and I can meet with you later. I didn't sleep that well so I could do with the rest." Okay, so it wasn't a total lie. There was no point in trying that because there's no way he would've bought it.

"Okay well if you need anything…"

"I know I know I'll call you Comrade. I love you and I'll see you later." I cut him off with my usual Rose bravado hoping it would convince him I really was just tired. It seemed to the trick because he left shortly after that with Viktoria and Yeva. I said I'd meet them later in the day after I'd gotten some sleep which both Dimitri and Viktoria seemed fine with. Yeva huffed a little and gave me a look but who was she to dictate what I did with my day when she was already trying to dictate my life.

After they left I went back to bed to lie down. I was starting to feel a bit nauseous but whether that was from the pregnancy or my own head spinning I wasn't sure. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. I considered going back into Lissa's head for a bit but a quick peak showed me her and Christian were still enjoying each other's company and I so did not want to get involved with that. Besides, I'd distracted myself enough for one morning. No, I needed to deal with my problems not ignore them. The longer I left this, the worse it was going to be. I needed to sort through the information Yeva had given me.

I needed to clear my head and decide how to move forward. Whether I liked it or not, Yeva's predictions usually came true and I believed her when she said she didn't want to hurt my family. She truly believed what she had told me. And whether I believed in her predictions or not, I couldn't ignore this one. That meant I had a big decision to make. As much as I loved my daughter and the thought of not welcoming her into the world killed me, I didn't want to put those I loved, or anyone else, in danger. My instinct was always to protect people and I knew whichever decision I made I was betraying that instinct. I was going to fail, either as a mother, a guardian or both.

I was getting nowhere fast. The same thoughts kept whirling around in my head. Protect Lissa. Give Dimitri a family. Defend my daughter. Keep the world safe. It was a vicious cycle I couldn't escape. Above all was the fear I felt about giving birth to a child that could ultimately destroy the world. It was sickening to think that someone who was so much of a miracle and came from such a strong bond could be anything other than perfect.

I realised I was going to have to talk to someone. My own mind was of no help and I needed an objective opinion, or at least a sounding board. I knew I couldn't talk to Dimitri or Lissa. Dimitri for obvious reasons and Lissa because she would just tell me my daughter was the most important thing and if I was that worried I could just quit being a guardian. She also didn't know I was pregnant and telling her would get her so excited I probably wouldn't be able to get a word in anyway. I guessed there was one other person I could talk to.

A quick glance at my clock told me it may be a bit late to call. That was one thing about a nocturnal schedule that sucked. We lived in the same country but sometimes it was like we were on opposite sides of planet. Still, I was desperate and on the off chance they were awake I had to try.

The phone rang a few times before going to voicemail. I was going just going to hang up but I really did want to talk and knew they'd phone back as soon as they could. "Hey, it's Rose. I just wanted to see how you are and kind of needed your advice on something. Call me when you can, no matter what the time is. Okay, erm bye." The message was lame but I didn't know what else to say. I could hardly leave a message saying my deranged grandmother-in-law wanted to me to abort a baby no one knew about yet.

The thought almost made me laugh out loud. How ridiculous was my life? How many more challenges could the world throw at me before I turned 30? Since I wasn't getting an objective party's opinion just yet, I figured a shower might help me sort through my jumbled thoughts. Normally, I'd go for a run but I was still feeling nauseous and didn't want to risk it. So I grabbed a clean towel, turned the radio right up and jumped in the shower. At the very least the heat of the shower always made me revived and ready to face the day. Even if my day was going to be filled with uncertainty and pretending my life wasn't falling apart at the seams.

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 **Thanks for reading guys :) As always please do review and let me know what you think. Also, who do you think Rose called?**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Next chapter is here. Not much to say as I said it in the last chapter which I uploaded literally half an hour ago.

 **Disclaimer:** All rights go to Richelle Mead.

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 _APOV_

I heard my phone ringing downstairs but I was too busy trying to reason with Declan that sleep was a necessity to function to answer it. I say _reason_ because Declan's a smart kid who knows that shouting and throwing tantrums will get him nowhere. Instead, he speaks calmly about everything knowing we can hardly tell him off if he's being rational about the situation. He's grown up so much and watching him grow has been one the greatest joys in my life. I couldn't ask for a better son, or a better family.

Eventually, Sydney convinced Declan to sleep. They had a bit of an argument in Spanish but something she said obviously made sense to him and so he eventually agreed. I had been trying to learn Spanish and I was okay but those two spoke so quickly I could never keep up. That woman though, she was something else. She never ceased to impress me with her intelligence and kindness – a kindness I like to think she gained since meeting me. "Are you going to check your phone?" She asked as we shut Declan's bedroom door.

"Huh… sorry?" Her question roused me from my thoughts.

She laughed, "Your phone. It was ringing like 10 minutes ago. And if someone is ringing at this time it must be important."

"Oh right, yeah. Thanks. What would I do without you?" I meant that too. She gave a peck on the lips and then walked upstairs to our bedroom.

As she got to the top of the stairs she turned and smiled, "I don't know you'd probably be living at Court drunk off your ass. Don't be too long."

Ouch, that stung. I knew she didn't mean it; it was just her alchemist upbringing peeking out. It happened less often than it used to but she still had a bluntness to her that I don't think she could ever completely rid herself of. I didn't mind. It was part of what made her the woman I loved.

I went downstairs to retrieve my phone. Sydney was right when she said it must've been important. We never got calls this late. To be honest, we never really got calls. We tend to keep to ourselves in Maine, a vampire and ex-alchemist were not something you wanted to draw attention to. Sydney and I had a few work colleagues we liked and obviously everyone back at Court but other than that, it was just our little family – our perfect little family.

Whoever called had left a voicemail and as soon as I heard the voice, I felt panic flood into me. Sure, we heard from Rose all the time but it was usually at a more reasonable hour then this. Plus despite what her voicemail said, the shakiness in her voice told me something bad had happened. She was not just calling for a casual chat. Thinking this would be a long chat, I quickly sent a text to Sydney to say it was Rose and it might be a lengthy chat. Whilst I didn't take my phone to bed, Sydney was never without hers. She always had to hand - another habit she had from the alchemist days. I didn't say something sounded wrong because I didn't want her to worry unnecessarily or wait up for me if I was going to be on the phone for hours.

I rang Rose back and was relieved when she picked up after only a few rings. "Hello?" I heard her say on the other end.

I decided to keep things casual. She clearly wanted to talk but I wasn't going to probe. "Hi stranger. How are you doing? And what time do you call this?"

She laughed. "Stranger? We spoke last week idiot? And morning for us normal people."

"I know Little Dhampir but a week is so long to not hear your angelic voice. And normal, you're the ones living like the undead." I may not love Rose in the same way I used to but I still enjoyed teasing her. Sydney knew that and was totally okay with it. We were solid and so were Rose and Dimitri. To be honest I think Rose and I were both in agreement that the thought of anything happening between us was just weird. We didn't exactly have a brotherly, sisterly love but it definitely wasn't romantic either.

"Shut up. I'm 25, how much longer are you going to call me that? You got my message then?" Wow, that was a quick turn of conversation. She really does want to talk.

"For as long as you're littler than me. And I did. What is it that you need?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story. Are you sure you're okay to listen? I know it's late for you." She was right, it was late. But I wasn't about to hang up on her when she needed me. That's not the kind of friendship we had.

"Rose. It may be late but I'm still a vampire. I can handle a little late night talk. Besides, it's the nearly the weekend. Now tell me what's going on." And she did.

 _RPOV_

Honestly, I wasn't sure I'd made the right choice in calling Adrian. But as soon as I heard his voice on the other end of the line I knew he was exactly who I needed to talk to. I could tell him the whole story. The pregnancy, Yeva, even the new bond and how it had changed. I felt bad putting so much on him but at the same time it felt amazing to talk to someone about it. Just venting out the situation made it feel like a weight had been lifted. And what a huge weight it was.

"So what do you think?" I asked when I'd finished my story.

"I… I don't know. Honestly Rose, this is kind of a lot to take in. I guess congratulations on the pregnancy. But, what are you going to do?" I was kind of hoping he'd have some miraculous solution to my problems but of course, it was never that simple. I guess I was kind of expecting a lot.

"I don't know. That's kind of why I called you. I haven't spoken to Dimitri about Yeva yet and I haven't told Lissa any of this, not even the bit about Spirit." Saying that out loud made me feel incredibly guilty. How could I hide so much from the two people I loved most in the world? Granted I hadn't been hiding it long but still.

"Well, I think that's your first step. You need to tell both of them what's going on. Maybe Lissa can help you control the darkness, you know like Oksana said. You remember? Healing away some of what you take. I know you guys haven't tried it in a while but to be honest I don't know why. And Belikov deserves to know the truth about his own child." Hearing him talk like that made me realise how much he'd grown up in the last five years. Sydney really was the best thing that could've happened to him.

"You're right." I sighed. "But that doesn't help me with what to do about my baby."

"Well Rose, if you'll let me finish." He joked. "I wouldn't listen to what Yeva is saying about your daughter. Her predictions can be vague and I know this one doesn't seem it but it also doesn't seem particularly specific. It seems to me that she's using her knowledge of how the bond has changed to convince you that what she is saying is fact. In reality, it's just an old lady making a prediction. I know her predictions have come true before but never having a family is a big price to pay if she's wrong. She may believe what she's saying but you obviously don't." I was about to interrupt him but he stopped before I could get my first word out. "Don't try and deny it. If you believed her you wouldn't even question what she's asking you to do. I know you wouldn't. You wouldn't want to put everyone in danger if you were certain. You have some doubts and that why you called me. You're not calling to get me to talk you into doing it, you're calling me to talk you out of it. Which, I'll gladly do. I'd never question Yeva is wise but I think she's wrong about this. Plus, your daughter is going to have the two most dedicated guardians as her parents. Don't tell Eddie I said that. How could she grow up to be anything other than a protector just like the two of you? You two will make great parents and I know she'll be an amazing person because of it."

His speech made me starting blubbering. Partly because what he said was so nice but also because it was true. I felt so stupid for not seeing all that myself. Yeva's visions were vague and who's to say we couldn't raise this baby to be a good, pure soul. Dimitri and I have been through so much together that we deserved a chance to have a family. And if what Yeva said was true, we'll work through it together. We always do. We've survived worse than this and always come out the other side. Our daughter won't be evil. She may be powerful but we will teach her to use that power responsibly.

"Rose? Hello? Rose, are you still there?"

"Yes, yes. Sorry Adrian. I was just thinking. Thank you. You're right about everything. I knew I could count on you. I always can. You're always right there when I need you. Tell Sydney I said hi, and Declan and Rose too. I love you all." I was getting a bit emotional. But honestly, Adrian was amazing. After everything that has happened between us I was so glad we're still friends.

"We love you too Rose and if there's anything else you need, just call one of us okay? It doesn't matter what time it is. We're for you." The sincerity in his voice didn't help my current emotional state.

"Okay. I should go, I supposed to be meeting the in-laws soon." I said pushing as much enthusiasm into my voice as I could muster.

"Okay. Well, goodnight." He said initiating an old joke we had running between our two families. It was a little pathetic but we always found it funny we were on the same part of the planet but in different time zones.

"It's good morning actually and thank you again." I laughed before hanging up the phone.

It's amazing the kind of clarity you can get from talking through your problems with someone. I did feel a little bad that I didn't talk to Dimitri or Lissa about all this first but there's no way they could've given me the advice Adrian did, this just affected them too closely. Adrian was the best choice which he proved with the advice he gave me.

I knew what I wanted all along and it just took Adrian telling me for me to realise it. I loved my baby and I was not going to give her up, not for some vision that may or may not come true. Whatever the future held, Dimitri and I would get through it together. With everything else we'd survived there was no alternative. The hard part would be telling him about Yeva and the new bond. I knew I couldn't keep either from him. The bond affected both of us and as much as I didn't want to ruin his relationship with his grandmother, Adrian was right about him deserving to know. _I'll tell him tonight – just get through today Rose._ I told myself. I wasn't going to ruin what could be a lovely afternoon with his family. We all deserved to have one day of peace before things got crazy, which they inevitably would.

I quickly blow dried my hair, popped on a bit of makeup – I wouldn't usually bother but the lack of sleep meant I wasn't exactly glowing – and put on some skinny jeans and a nice tee. After throwing on my combat boots, I was out the door.

On my way to meet Dimitri and the others, I did a quick check on Lissa just to make sure she was okay. She and Christian were done with _that_ so she'd gone back to worrying about me and Dimitri. I felt incredibly guilty. It was true we hadn't talked too much with everything going and I didn't want her worrying for nothing. I decided to drop her a quick text asking her and Christian to join us for dinner later. I was sure she'd want to pick Yeva's brain about Spirit. Whilst Yeva may not be an expert, she could sense things and Lissa enjoyed speaking to her. It would give her a chance to see that Dimitri and I were okay too. Of course she replied instantly saying she couldn't wait and we'd have to go "somewhere nice". In Lissa terms that meant somewhere really fancy. _Great,_ I thought to myself. Still, if it would make her happy I could agree. I said she could organise it and just text me a time to meet. That might seem harsh, inviting her to dinner and then asking her to organise it but it was actually a sort of gift to Lissa. She loved organising things like that.

I was surprised to see Dimitri and his family in our favourite café. I would've thought they would've wanted to go somewhere more exciting and it had been a few hours since they left. I wasn't expecting to find them so easily. Still, I guess I couldn't complain. Dimitri was facing away from the door and I thought it might be a good opportunity to try and sneak up on him. I think I knew it wasn't going to work but I had to try. I could never get one over on him, but that didn't mean I couldn't try at every opportunity.

I couldn't see Yeva but Vik clocked me pretty quickly. So I put a finger to my lips telling her to be quiet. She carried on talking to Dimitri like nothing happened; hopefully he didn't notice her slight eye movement. As stealthily as I could I came up behind him and just as I was about to pinch him, "Hello Roza." _Damn,_ I thought.

I gave him a peck on the lips and took one of the spare chairs. "Damn it Comrade. What gave me away? Was it Viktoria?" I hoped it was. Then it would mean it wasn't my ninja skills.

"Hey! I didn't give anything away. It was your loud boots that did it." Viktoria huffed. I just laughed. She'd grown up a lot but she still had a temper. I guess she was a lot like me.

"Actually it was neither. I can just always tell when you're in the room Rose. Call it a sixth sense." Dimitri smiled as he sipped his coffee. I could tell from the empty cups on the table he'd already had few. He really needed to lay off it. Sometimes, I thought he ran on caffeine alone.

"Hmm well one day Comrade, you won't see me coming. I promise." I winked. "So, what did I miss?"

"Not a lot really. Dimka was just catching us up on Court life and I was just telling him about Lady Zeklos and everything that's been going on with me. Yeva's just popped to the bathroom. Although she's been a while I should probably check on her." Viktoria mused.

"Don't worry about it." I quickly jumped in. "I'll go. You guys keep catching up." I got up and headed for the restroom. I supposed I should tell Yeva my decision before I spoke to Dimitri. I wanted her to be aware of what was going on in case Dimitri went on some kind of rampage. She deserved the heads up.

"Yeva? Yeva?" I called as I walked into the restroom. I decided Russian was a good idea since we were in a public(ish) place. "Yeva, I've made a decision."

"I know." I heard from behind a door. "And it's the decision I knew you would make. I knew nothing I said would change your mind but I had to try. I at least had to warn you." She sounded exasperated and I actually felt a bit sorry for her. Just because I didn't believe in her, didn't mean she didn't. I knew if she had any doubt in her own mind about what she told me, she wouldn't have even mentioned it. To her my decision was fatal.

"I'm sorry. It's just, I can't do it. I love her Yeva. Until this morning I was the happiest I've ever been and Dimitri is too. I can't lose that, not for a vision that I'm not even sure I believe in." I expected her to be angry but instead she just nodded solemnly.

"I understand Rose and although I don't agree with it, I'll try and respect your decision. Now, I believe your husband and my granddaughter are probably wondering where we've got to. Let's go."

I nodded. "You lead the way." I said smiling. When I thought she was out of earshot I muttered under my breath "but he's not my husband."

"Yet" Yeva responded. Wow, she wasn't as a deaf as I thought. Still, I was glad we were able to come to an understanding. When I'd said to Dimitri I wanted her approval I meant it and although she hadn't given it it to me exactly, she said she understood me and given the circumstances that was enough.

The rest of the day was actually super nice. It was what I had wanted Yeva and Viktoria's visit to be, a nice time with family. I noticed throughout the day Dimitri shooting me questioning and slightly hopeful looks. I knew he was dying to tell Viktoria about the baby and probably wanted to hear Yeva's thoughts on it too but I wasn't ready. It was still pretty early in the pregnancy and even though I was going against Yeva's word, it was still nagging at my mind. There was also the added factor of telling Dimitri, I may have made up my mind but it was still something he deserved an input on. We couldn't announce anything until he knew. So poor Dimitri's looks were met with small, stern head shakes.

We spent the day walking through the grounds, exploring the 'town' centre. I knew Viktoria had been the Court a few times but as far as I was aware Yeva never had. We always went to visit them and unless she were summoned or her charge was needed, she wouldn't have been in her short stint as a guardian. It was a pleasant walk; Court was a beautiful place afterall.

It was about 4pm when I got text from Lissa.

 _Hey. Tabled booked for 8 so we can meet at like 7. See you then. Liss._

"8? That's a bit late Liss." I said out loud.

"What?" Dimitri said next to me.

"Oh sorry. I organised for us to all go out for Dinner with Lissa and Christian. Is that okay?" I actually felt a little bad I hadn't asked him yet.

"Of course, but why is 8 a problem?"

"It'll be light. Might be a bit uncomfortable for the moroi. I don't know why she booked it so later. I'll just call her and ask if we can go earlier. You guys head back to the apartment and I'll catch up." I said, giving him a peck on the lips. He nodded and starting walking back with the others. I rang Lissa.

"Hey Rose." She chimed on the other end of the phone.

"Hey Liss. 8? Really? Bit late for you isn't it." I said getting straight to the point. I wasn't in the mood for a lengthy conversation.

"Yeah. Why is that a problem? I thought you would happy I'd booked the table for when it'll be light. I wanted you, Viktoria and Dimitri to have a good night so I thought if we're travelling when it was light it'd be easier. Sorry, I thought that'd be better for you." She said, sounding confused as to why I was kicking up a fuss. Little did she know she was about to get an earful.

"Liss! Travelling, where exactly are we going?" I responded, not exactly shouting but with a slightly raised voice.

"To that nice Italian. You know that small one in town. I called just as they were closing this morning and managed to get them to agree to open for us. They thought it was a weird request asking them to reopen for 8 but you know these days money can get you anywhere. Sorry that sounded really snobby. You know what I meant. Anyway it'll be great..." She was rambling on and on and I was just dumbfounded.

"Lissa!" I finally interrupted. "Cancel the booking. We can just go to somewhere at Court. It's not worth the extra guardians or the danger it puts you in." It was true but I was also worried about what Dimitri would say. He freaked out about me going to the airport and that was when it was just us dhampirs, hardly worth the panic. But Queen Vasilissa, last of the Dragomir line and her husband. They were high targets and with me being pregnant, Dimitri was definitely going to freak out.

"It's too late. I've already booked the restaurant and they won't be open to call now _and_ I've organised four of my guardians to come with us. Hans wanted me to bring more but I told him we would have you, Viktoria and Dimitri so we'd be fine. I know you guys are technically off duty but I didn't want a heavily guarded restaurant whilst we're eating. Plus, it'll be light so we'll probably be fine." She was so cheery it was really hard to be mad. A quick look into her head told me she really believed what she was saying too. I suppose that was understandable. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't even argue with seven guardians for two moroi and one elderly dhampir - even if one of those moroi was the Queen.

Today though, today I was not so okay with it. "Lissa, Hans is right. If you really want to leave Court then we should take some more guardians. What are the rest of your guardians doing tonight? I know I normally wouldn't mind but with Dimitri's family here I really can't be worrying about you." Another half truth. I seemed to telling a lot of those today.

"Rose, it'll be fine. I'm not going to ask anyone else to come. Besides _someone_ booked them in for perimeter shifts. Remember, new rule _we_ put in place. After sunrise, eight of my guardians are to go work shifts near the ward to keep the whole Court safe, not just me. Four will be plenty. And technically we have seven. It's all good."

"Okay," I sighed "okay. We'll meet you are the garage at 7?" Arguing with her was pointless. When she made up her mind no one could change it.

"Great, we'll see you soon." She said before hanging up before I could change my mind.

I sighed loudly, Dimitri was going to freak.

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 **Please review. And see you soon! :)**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Surprise, here's a little fluff chapter to keep you going. Fun fact, I'm actually writing this author's note on the same day I uploaded the last two. I wasn't sure what do with this since I wrote it, decided I hate it and then read it today and decided I liked it. It's very fluffy and short. But it's a little of Dimitri's family so thought it might be nice. It's not very plotty at all so I apologise for that and as always any bad grammar or spelling.

 **Disclaimer:** All rights belong to Richelle Mead.

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DPOV

"Rose won't be joining us?" Yeva asked as we walked towards the cafe for breakfast. She didn't sound annoyed as such, more concerned which was a nice change from the night before when she was just ignoring us all.

"No. She didn't sleep very well. She'll be meeting up with us later though." To be honest I was surprised Yeva asked at all. She probably knew Rose was pregnant, so it seemed unnecessary to bring up her absence for breakfast. Surely she could read between the lines; unless she knew something I didn't. Her half murmured, half nodding response suggested she did.

"Well I hope she feels better soon. I really want to catch up." Vika chimed in.

I laughed "Do you not think you did enough catching up in the car on the drive back last night?"

"Noooo. Dimka you clearly have no idea how much we need to talk about. Like the wedding…" she left that last bit as a sort of open statement. I think she was hoping I would respond saying we were planning a June wedding with lots of friends and family.

"Sorry to disappoint Vika but we still haven't set a date. There's no need to rush into something just yet." That was becoming a bit of a generic statement for me when anyone asked about the wedding. I didn't want to put more pressure on Rose by saying it was her stalling that meant we hadn't set a date.

"You mean _Rose_ hasn't set date." Huh, apparently I didn't need to.

"Vika, don't be like that. She's only 25 you can't be mad at her for not wanting to get married just yet. Besides we're both so busy at the moment I don't know when we'd find time to plan a wedding." Apparently as much as I agreed with my sister, my instinct to defend Rose was stronger.

"I know. I guess I wouldn't want to get married next year. But you've been engaged for so long. How much longer can she make you wait?" I always internally cringe when Vika or Rose remind how close they are in age. Being 32 and 25 isn't remotely a big deal but I still think of Viktoria as my baby sister. I don't like thinking of her and Rose's close age gap.

"Viktoria, that's enough. If Rose isn't ready to get married that's her right. We all know how committed she is to Dimka and that's what matters." My grandmother said sternly. To be honest she was normally the one putting pressure on so I was surprised she was defending Rose. She definitely knew something I didn't. Still it kept Vika quiet so I was grateful for the help.

The café I was taking them to was right underneath our building so luckily that was where the conversation ended. Vika ordered a vanilla chai latte, babushka a tea and of course I ordered black coffee. We all ordered pancakes since it was easy and the pancakes from this particular café were especially good.

We talked about everything and everyone from back home which basically meant a lot of Yeva talking. I sometimes forgot that Vika didn't get a chance to go home very often and so was just as out of touch as me. Apparently Paul was doing really well at St Basil's. He wasn't doing amazingly in his academic subjects but was top of all his combat classes - kind of like Roza. It was crazy to think he would be graduating soon and joining the guardian ranks. It was crazy to think of my nephew being so grown up when I didn't have one baby yet.

It was great hearing about Sonya and Karolina. They had both finally found decent men who respected them and loved them for who they were. Karolina had actually moved out of Mama's house into a little three bedroom up the road. She was dating a guardian but they technically lived together, or at least as much as they could. The new laws Lissa had put in place meant it was easier for them to have a relationship that resembled some normality. Karolina always says it was no different than a human dating a marine or navy soldier. Sonya's boyfriend was moroi but not royal. Mama really liked him and even babushka spoke highly of him. Vika and I hadn't had the chance to meet him yet but if Yeva liked him that was a good sign. Apparently they were looking to settle down too. I think Mama was a bit sad about that since everyone was leaving the nest but I knew she was happy we'd all made good lives for ourselves.

I was desperate to tell them Rose and I were having a baby but it wasn't the kind of thing I could announce without her or at least without asking her first. I knew it was only fair to discuss it with her first, even if we were both acutely aware that Yeva had probably already figured it out.

When Rose eventually joined us in the afternoon I had no idea so much time had passed. Of course she tried to sneak up on me but it was never going to work. I always knew when she was there. It was like a light being switched on in the room - she just lit everything up without even trying. Babushka had excused herself a few minutes prior and Rose offered to go and check she was okay. I found that a bit strange and it only reinforced my fears that Yeva was aware of something that I was not. Still, Rose seemed to be in a much better mood in the afternoon so for that I was grateful.

"That's odd. Don't you think? Rose offering to go and find babushka I mean. I thought they hated each other. Well not hate but you know what I mean. They've never exactly seen eye-to-eye." Vika asked as Rose went to find our grandmother.

If I was being perfectly honest, I thought it was bit strange but I also knew that Rose wanted Yeva's blessing and perhaps she thought this would be a good opportunity to ask for it. So I gave Vika a semi-honest answer. "It's a little odd but Rose did say she would try to make more of an effort with Yeva. It's been nearly eight years since they first met and I know they have a mutual understanding and respect but I think Rose would like it to be a bit more." I wasn't really sure where that speech came from. I only intended to say something along the lines of 'yes, it is weird but I think Rose just wants to try building some bridges'. I think subconsciously I wanted them to be closer than they were.

The rest of the day was really pleasant. We didn't do anything particularly exciting but having my family at Court was a nice change. I knew Viktoria was at Court quite recently, unfortunately Rose and I weren't at the time so we didn't see her. Yeva on the other hand had never been to Court. She'd been asked once, when she was a guardian. She was asked to come for a ceremony honouring a battle she'd fought where many guardians were lost. We actually learnt about it in school. It's quite a substantial part of moroi, dhampir history. She declined the invitation though, saying she did not want a ceremony to remember her friends. Instead she and few others had a small memorial - similar to mine imagine. That was an unpleasant thought. I still sometimes thought about my family mourning me and it never sat well with me. Anyway, it meant she had never been the Court and so the day was basically introducing my grandmother to the place.

It got to about 4pm when Rose got a text message from Lissa about some dinner we were all going to. To be honest, I would've prefered a quiet night in but I thought this might be an opportunity to announce the pregnancy, assuming Rose wanted to. Besides, Yeva always enjoyed talking to Lissa. I also knew Vika would want to catch up - she and the Queen actually got on very well. Me, Yeva and Vika walked ahead whilst Rose called Lissa to finalise some details I imagine.

* * *

"Oh Vika, I completely forgot to ask. How long are you staying?" We hadn't even thought to ask and if they were staying past the weekend Rose and I would have to arrange something for work.

Vika was about to answer but Yeva beat her to it. "We won't be staying long. Perhaps a few days. We have a purpose to this visit and once that has been completed we'll be leaving." Vika and I stopped walking in shock of her response. It was extremely cryptic, even for Yeva. I could fathom that the purpose had something to do with the baby but poor Vika must have been completely confused. Yeva just carried on walking like she hadn't said anything even remotely odd.

"I thought we were just visiting for fun!" Vika called after her.

"When do I ever do anything for fun Viktoria? Honestly, you should know better by now." Yeva said, shaking her head at Viktoria. "Come on, we should get ready for Queen Vasilisa's dinner."

Vika looked totally confused of course. I just smiled and shook my head. You couldn't get anything past my grandmother.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. See you soon. xo**


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